Economic growth, charm aren't mutually exclusive

At the age of 86 my grandmother surprised my family Christmas morning with a memoir she had written, a loving picture of the "good old days," with details of the simple pleasures that bring a Norman Rockwell painting to mind.

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Posted Apr. 19, 2014 at 2:10 AM

Posted Apr. 19, 2014 at 2:10 AM

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At the age of 86 my grandmother surprised my family Christmas morning with a memoir she had written, a loving picture of the "good old days," with details of the simple pleasures that bring a Norman Rockwell painting to mind.

I think I inherited her old soul. I relish the simple pleasures and traditions of my beloved Cape Cod. Many of my young friends feel the same.

With all due respect to Brent Harold's opinion in his April 15 column, I disagree that each of us must choose sides between the old and new Cape Cod. I believe all of us, young and old, Mayflower descendants and recent wash-ashores alike, can work together to strike an appropriate balance between preserving the charm and character of the Cape and creating opportunities for smart economic growth and vitality. Otherwise, my generation will end up moving off-Cape and writing our memoirs about a very different landscape.

Sitting on the Dennis Zoning Board of Appeals for the past five years, I have seen how diverse people can devise creative solutions by replacing "either-or" with "and." It's not a war where you must fight for my perspective or Mr. Harold's. It's a battle for balance all Cape Codders should be waging together.